Marshmallow is a well recognized confection which is manufactured by whipping a syrup at temperatures at or above room temperature to produce a light, fluffy, white emulsion of air in the syrup mixture. In a batch process, sugar, glucose, water and other ingredients, such as starch, salt and flavoring agents are heated to form the syrup to which is added a solution of gelatin. This mixture is then placed in an open beater or otherwise agitated to produce a homogeneous aerated mass which is cast or injected into starch molds.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,847,311 to Doumak, et al. discloses a continuous process for producing marshmallow wherein the beaten homogeneous mass is extruded onto a conveyor belt which is coated with starch. The extruded strands of marshmallow are cut into cylinders and additional starch is applied to the cut pieces of marshmallow.
Typical marshmallow products cannot be used in high temperature processes, such as baking, due to their inability to retain identity and texture under elevated temperatures that are standard in baking conditions, i.e., 350.degree. F. for 20 minutes. Upon exposure to heat, marshmallow air cells expand and the gelatin destabilizes causing the air cells to collapse and reducing the marshmallow to a syrupy liquid state that dissolves into the bakery medium. This property has limited the use of marshmallows as a baking ingredient due to loss of product attributes which identify the marshmallow ingredient.
A 1993 FMC product brochure discloses a bakery stable marshmallow (BSM). However, the BSM has large air cells, a short gummy texture, and is very dense.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a marshmallow confection having dual functionalites--a marshmallow which has the appearance and texture of conventional marshmallow and which exhibits melt resistant properties upon baking.